NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Collingwood and the Blue Mountains detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Auxiliary officers continue their anti-fraud initiative taking aim at the Canada Revenue Agency scam which continues to defraud residents of their hard earned money.
The scam begins when fraudster(s), posing as an employee of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or a recognized financial institution, contacts the victim via a phone call or email, phishing for their identification, personal information or demand that outstanding taxes be paid by money transfer or by pre-paid gift cards or more commonly, by the purchase of iTune cards.
In an effort to raise awareness of this type of scam, Auxiliary OPP members will be distributing a fact sheet to local businesses that sell gift cards or provide money wiring services.
This fact sheet will contain information on the CRA scam and will be made available to customers who the store employee(s) suspect they may have been contacted by a scammer and are possibly being defrauded.
The distribution of these fact sheets to local businesses will take place on Sunday, March 17, 2019 in Collingwood and The Blue Mountains with the focus to reduce this type of victimization or, ultimately, eliminate it entirely.
FRAUD…Recognize it…Report it…Stop it.
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